It’s a brand new school year, and for our Year 9s, that means one thing – big changes! From starting their GCSE subjects to rocking their new blazers, there’s a lot to get used to (and plenty to be excited about!).
We spoke to a few Year 9 pupils to find out how they’ve been settling into life in blazers and mixed classes.
Elodie told us she’s really enjoying her new lessons – especially since she now gets to learn alongside more of her peers. She chose practical subjects like PE, Art, Spanish, and History, and says she loves having a good mix after “two years stuck with my house.” One surprising reason she likes her blazer? “I can store mints in it!” she laughed. Her favourite part of Year 9 so far is getting to do more of the subjects she’s passionate about.
Alice also chose GCSE PE, saying she picked it simply because “it’s fun!” She doesn’t mind having mixed classes and doesn’t find the change too dramatic – but she does appreciate her new blazer, explaining, “I can store all of my equipment instead of carrying it across the school.” For Alice, the biggest change this year has been getting used to learning with a mix of people from different houses.
Amelia’s favourite subject this year is Media, because it’s something that she didn’t get to study in Years 7 and 8. She’s chosen Geography, Media, Spanish, and PE, and says she enjoys having a variety of classmates instead of the same familiar faces every lesson. “I like my blazer because I can store my hairbrush in it,” she told us, though she admitted she’s not a fan of the boxy shoulders! Overall, she says the biggest change is having completely new lessons to explore.
Riley has his sights set on the future – he’s taking GCSE PE because he hopes to have a career in sports, inspired by his love of doing tricks on his dirt bike. His subject choices are French, Geography, PE, and Drama, and he says he’s enjoying mixed classes because he now gets to work with more of his friends. “I like my blazer because I can store my phone in it instead of leaving it in my locker all day,” he said.
It’s safe to say our Year 9s are adapting brilliantly – and with stylish blazers, exciting new subjects, and lots of new friendships forming, this year is shaping up to be their best one yet!
By Charlie A-H, Noah M and Elijah C